1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an alignment sensor system and an alignment sensor system method for a movement instrument for carrying out movements by displacing the centre of gravity or actuating muscles of a human body.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Training instruments for use in fitness studios, such as e.g. treadmills, steppers or bicycle ergometers, are known from sport instrument development. On these, a user sits or stands and carries out predetermined movements. In so doing, calories should be burnt, a training effect should be obtained and the user should have fun as a result of the physical activity.
Furthermore, games consoles such as the Nintendo Wii® or Sony PlayStation Move® are known, in which the user carries out physical movements which are detected by a sensor. In the former, control modules are guided in one or both hands, the position and alignment of which are determined by means of acceleration sensors in the control modules and by means of an optical detection of the control modules, and transmitted to the games console. In the latter case, the body or body parts are identified by means of a plurality of cameras, the position and alignment of the former being determined and transmitted to the games console. As a result of this, the progress of a game on a television screen can be influenced or controlled.
Furthermore, 3-D cinemas are known, in which films are shown with a three-dimensional effect so as to be able to offer to the observer a cinematic experience which is as close to reality as possible. As a result of a 3-D effect in the case of films, the action on the screen should appear more real and should let the cinema audience forget that they are at a cinema screening. In terms of experience, they should become part of the happenings where possible.
Moreover, simulators are known, in which a user controls e.g. a Formula One car or a racing motorbike, wherein the user is provided with a system made of computer monitors instead of a real windscreen. Furthermore, a driving experience that is closer to reality can be provided by virtue of the user taking a seat in an authentically reproduced vehicle cockpit and the operating elements differing only insignificantly from those of an actual vehicle.
Moreover, video glasses are known, which are arranged on, and fixed to, the head of a user (“head mounted display”, referred to as HMD below), such as e.g. the Oculus Rift™ or HTC Vive™. On such video glasses, it is possible to visually output a virtual reality, with a user behaving during the use of such instrument as if he could look around in the virtual reality and move freely therein. If the user changes the alignment of his head, and hence of the video glasses as well, a sensor system arranged in stationary fashion establishes the change in alignment of head and glasses and forwards alignment change direction and speed to a computer unit, which accordingly calculates the video image displayed by means of the video glasses such that the impression that he could in fact look around freely or even move freely in the virtual space arises for a user.
Furthermore, flight simulators for pilot training are known; these, firstly, reproduce an authentic cockpit and, secondly, also simulate the actual movements and accelerations which act on a real cockpit during the flight, during take-off and during landing. By way of example, this is carried out by virtue of the cockpit being arranged on a movement platform, such as e.g. a tripod, or being gimbal-mounted in any other way, and the cockpit being able to be moved, tilted and accelerated in different directions by way of the movement platform.
The patent application DE 10 2014 223 447.8, which was not published at the filing date, has disclosed an instrument for carrying out movements by displacing the centre of gravity or actuating the muscles of a human body, wherein a user brings about a displacement of the centre of gravity by moving his hip region while the user is supported on the instrument, and he is able to tilt a movable part of the instrument, including his own body, in different directions. In the process, the user can wear video glasses at the same time and move and interact in virtual surroundings as a result of the overall system of video glasses and movement instrument. Here, the movements caused by the user can be generated only by gravity by means of displacing the centre of gravity. This movement instrument is an instrument which changes the alignment thereof passively by user interaction and which does not predetermine said change in alignment itself in a controlled manner.
In the case of combining such a movement instrument with an HMD it is possible, for example, to simulate a hang glider flight for the user, wherein a change in alignment of the movement machine caused by displacing the centre of gravity of the body is evaluated in order to control the simulated hang glider and, by way of the HMD, there is an image reproduction of the simulation which is adapted to the alignment of the head.
A problem here is that both the alignment of the movement machine and the alignment of the head need to be detected independently of one another in order to enable this, or a similar, simulation. Thus, the alignment of the head is ultimately composed of the sum of the alignment of the movement machine and the alignment of the head relative to the alignment of the movement machine. A detection of the absolute head alignment enabled by the HMD does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the alignment of the movement machine and hence of the body of the user.